I`ve just bought a 1988 Saab 900 aerodeck in almost unmarked condition, its a proper one with all the right bits, 90.000 miles with full history and only two owners. Only problem is its got one of those poxy Irish number plates, soon get rid of that, I`m so happy I might even buy a round at the pub tonight, Regards Tom.
You lucky sob...
That's a rare find indeed. I've been keeping an eye out for something like that for, oh, 4 years?
You're right about the plate - that's gotta go.
Where are you based Tom?
I paid £325 for a 118k miler, that has started to cost me money (had one wheel bearing, 1 track rod end, one CV boot, and a full set of the front brakes already, and going infor the other front bearing, plus a cam chain on Friday), with Cloth interior and no Aircon, and too early for a CD changer.
And the laquer is getting flaky, and the arches and the leading edge of the bonnet are starting to blister.
But I love it.
Only thing wrong apart from about is it is silver, not black. Would love a black one.
in article bm16gj$rpd$ snipped-for-privacy@titan.btinternet.com, Saabtech at snipped-for-privacy@btconnect.com wrote on 8/10/03 3:21 pm:
Sounds good. An Aero, yes? I paid 1500 UKP for my 1989 at 91,000 miles about a year ago.
You sound well excited - sod the pub, just go for a long ride. I've always gone for a couple of hundred miles on the first day with a new car "just to get to know it". Do you have any pictures of the beast?
Paul
1989 900 Turbo Sin article snipped-for-privacy@news.cis.dfn.de, MeatballTurbo at snipped-for-privacy@bouncing-czechs.com wrote on 8/10/03 4:40 pm:
Like I said when you bought it, just love it for now and keep looking for the one you'll keep forever. If your Skoda passion was anything to go by, you'll be keeping the Behemoth for all eternity :)
I think I've found mine ... Going in on Monday for wheel bearings
Congrats on the car .......but less of the poxy Irish numberplates ok :-) By the way what is the Irish reg I would like to know what county it came from originally
-- From the desktop of Peter C
department round here seem to favour the NI plates and I don`t wish to be tarred with the same brush, I find the whole concept of personelised plates a bit naf, but on the other hand would love to have either OBO 110X or PYK
1E. The number on the car at present is UAZ #### [can`t remember the rest and don`t pick up the car till Saturday] , Regards Tom.
Yeah, I can see that. I'm going to ask them while I'm there, if while they are rooting arround doing the wheel bearing, if they spot anything that needs doing, to let me know. If it isn't too pricey might as well get all done at the same time.
Suspension is next after that in a few months, if they don't find anything urgent (shocks, springs, bushes), and get them to do a brake and clutch fluid change, and fit braided hoses.
The maybe if the next couple of MOTs go OK, think about the getting it reprayed and the small bits of rust bubbling sorted. I really love this car. When I'm coming out of a supermarket and see it sitting there, it just just great.
Only thing I could see that would cause major probs would be if the the gearbox finally gives way, instead of just popping out of gear (used to be just one and two, now occasionally does 3 too). I'll see what I get for a loan car from higher Oak Saab tomorrow.
Small fry compared to a respray. Rebuild under 1k, or plenty of good second hand ones around.
Yeah but the biggy is the fitting cost, as I don't have access to a crain, or the knowledge to get it back in without lots of bits left over.
C'mon Carl! I did my first 900 gearbox when I was half drunk with very little mechanical experience. If you want to do it yourself, it's really easy. If you don't, it's a totally different matter of course (same way I don't want to do the respray myself - been there, tried that, decided I'm just crap at it).
True, if I tackled it, I would probably have a fair stab, and it might run, and even drive again.
Problem is, I have one car, and one car only. If I can't fix it in one day/weekend, or find I'm stuck without a small, cheap but vital part that is only available from the main dealer or Indy located at least 14 miles away, I'm buggered.
Oh yeah, and I'm stick with doing everything on the side or road/back ally (we have a small yard/garden, but it slopes slightly so a crane wouldn't be such a good idea).
BTW, with my dad, and brother, I have done the lifting part of engien swaps on many fords over the years, from escorts, to Grandads, the tranny vans.
Yeah, I'd hate to do it on that timescale.
Used to do that a lot - I agree it's a real pain.
You should have no probs with the gearbox if you decide to tackle it yourself. :-)
Hi Tom
Pete Brown here from NI. I am saddened to read in your post that your local boy racers favour NI plates. That is a great shame. Some of the NI plates are quite good. My daughter's car (a make that will remain un named on this superior newsgroup) has DAZ nnnn, my Saab is MAZnnnn, my wee runabout ( regretably a make that will also remain un named) is NIBnnnn.
The boy racers spoil everything, including pushing up our insurance premiums... a point that will not be lost on any sensible NI motorist as the premiums in this part of the UK are *very* high.
Good luck with your new purchase. I look forward to seeing photos.
Best Wishes
Pete Brown
In article , snipped-for-privacy@btinternet.com spouted forth into alt.autos.saab...
Yeah, they like them for exactley the same reason as you do.
If your nickname is Maz, baz, Daz etc, or anything similar you can get, they look like genuine private plates, but cost peanuts compared to a standard UK "Distinctive/Cherished" plate.
Brother Carl
You may well be right in what you say about their reasons and you may (or may not) be right about my or my daughter's reasons. The reality is my daughter drives a very white car that is kept spotless. Ergo DAZ (the washing powder) for whiteness. You enter a dangerous area when you start to second guess the motives or thinking of people you do not know. My Saab is MAZ. I call Saab the mother of all cars. Where I live Ma is short for Mother. Don't want to labour the point, fellow Saaber, but don't compare my mind with those mindless motorised morons we conveniently lable "boy racers".
Pete
You are right, however, on the price bit. Being half scottish
In article , snipped-for-privacy@btinternet.com spouted forth into alt.autos.saab...
Oh god, please don't get me wrong. It was only the reason for the choice of plates, in your daughters case DAZ spelt out the name of a brand of "Whiter than White", and went well with here white sparkling car.
Young Darren in the UK known as DAZ went for becuase it is what his mates call him.
But please, I wasn't associating you will with the boy racer brigade, only the reason that Irish plates are so popular in the UK, is the similar if not the same as to why certain plates suit certain cars so well in ireland. It wasn't so much about the kind of cars/drivers that buy certain Irish plates over here, it was just that they were popular for a similar reason.
Didn't intend to offend before, just trying to explain why Irish plates go so well here.
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